


but friends don't know the way you taste

by solicitors



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, M/M, kageyama is touchy, yachi is a lil shit and she knows it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2019-07-06
Packaged: 2020-06-22 05:21:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19660663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solicitors/pseuds/solicitors
Summary: “Nah,” Kageyama responds, a cheeky smile on his face. A piece of rice is stuck between his two front teeth. “You lost the bet. And, anyway,” he sounds smug, “I like the view.”





	but friends don't know the way you taste

**Author's Note:**

> ehhhh??? i love them. every fic i write is the same thing and idc  
> title is from seniorita by shawn mendes and camila cabello

Hinata swipes his thumb over the bump on Kageyama’s temple. It’s red in the center and an ugly purple around the edges. Kageyama flinches away and kicks Hinata in the ribs. “Boke,” Kageyama says, but the insult doesn’t hit too hard. “Don’t go around touching people’s bruises.”

“Sorry,” Hinata says, even though he’s not really. He hides his hands behind his back so he won’t touch Kageyama again. He looks down at Kageyama’s fingers. They’re sticky from the apple he ate earlier. Hinata’s fingers twitch.

Kageyama is looking at Hinata, his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes narrowed. It’s his favorite look to give Hinata, a mix between disgust and apprehension. “It doesn’t hurt,” Kageyama says, finally. Hinata can tell he’s lying. Kageyama looks away when Hinata doesn’t respond. “I’ll be back on the court tomorrow.”

Hinata still grimaces when he thinks about Tanaka thwacking the ball hard enough that it leaves a purple goosebump on Kageyama’s head. Hinata is surprised that Kageyama’s brain hadn’t popped out of his head. Tanaka apologized, of course, but the apology did nothing to amend the fact that Kageyama couldn’t play for the rest of practice. Coach made him sit on the bench. Tanaka looked guilty, Kageyama looked pained, and Hinata was antsy.

“Good,” Hinata responds, grabbing Kageyama’s shirt to turn him back around to look at him. “Hopefully the hit didn’t ruin your perfect aim.”

Kageyama looks down at Hinata’s hand and blushes. “That was almost a compliment,” Kageyama says.

Hinata removes his hand from Kageyama’s shirt and puts his hands behind his back again. He needs to get control of his wandering fingers. “Don’t get too carried away,” Hinata says, flashing a small smile toward Kageyama. “Wouldn’t want your ego taking over the court.”

Kageyama looks away, and if Hinata concentrates hard enough, he can see a smile.

-

Kageyama’s stretches are going to kill him. That’s the excuse Hinata gives when he goes over to help him. “Like this,” Hinata says, showing Kageyama how to stretch each leg without pulling any muscles.

Kageyama is giving Hinata a weird look that makes him oddly self-conscious. “That’s not how you do it,” Kageyama says, like he has any idea what the hell he is talking about. Hinata saw Kageyama doing some weird yoga pose a minute prior that looked like he was going to break his knee.

Hinata rolls his eyes and stands back up from his position on the floor. “Show me how the genius does it, then,” Hinata quips, sarcasm heavy.

The sarcasm doesn’t go unnoticed by Kageyama, judging by the eye roll he gives Hinata. Instead of responding, he leans over and begins to stretch his hips. This would be fine if his ass wasn’t right in Hinata’s face.

Hinata has never seen  _ that  _ type of stretch before, but what does he know. And… honestly, he doesn’t mind the view too much. He can’t say that to Kageyama, though. After a moment, Kageyama stands up and throws something resembling a smile Hinata’s way. “Downward dog,” Kageyama clarifies, and then catches his right elbow behind his head. Hinata, at least, recognizes that stretch.

Hinata copies Kageyama’s stretch, trying to get rid of the butterflies in his stomach. He looks everywhere except the sliver of skin on Kageyama’s stomach. He can see it because Kageyama is stretching, and it’s  _ killing  _ him. Kageyama is making him flustered for no reason.

“Whatever,” Hinata grumbles. Kageyama must catch something, because he looks his way. He doesn’t say anything, though. Hinata uses the opportunity to imitate Kageyama’s downward dog and stretch his hips. Kageyama makes a weird sound under his breath, but Hinata doesn’t care. “Downward dog,” Hinata clarifies, sounding smug.

“It’s all wrong,” Kageyama says, using his foot to nudge Hinata’s calf. Hinata’s hands stumble, but he stays on all fours.

“How can I be wrong?!” Hinata yelps, reaching his ass further in the air to stretch his calves. The action does not go unnoticed by Kageyama. “I’m doing it the exact same as you.”

“At least when I did it, I had form. And grace.”

“You don’t need grace to perform downward dog.”

“I’ve never seen someone perform downward dog wrong,” Kageyama retorts, “until today. So good on you for being the first person in the world to perform the easiest yoga pose wrong.”

Hinata bounces back up on his feet and kicks Kageyama in the ribs. Kageyama doubles over, but grabs Hinata’s shirt on the way down. “Baka!” Hinata cries, struggling to grasp free from Kageyama’s fingers clasped in his shirt.

“Boke!” Kageyama responds, trying to get up off the floor. Hinata grabs his sock and he falls back down. “Don’t touch me, you dirty dog!”

_ “Dirty dog?”  _ Hinata gasps, flailing around on the ground trying to shove Kageyama’s face into the gym floor. “May I remind you of the time you  _ shit  _ your pants—”

“Boys!” coach Ukai says off somewhere on the other side of the gym. “Get off the ground and contribute something to society!”

Hinata grumbles and lets go of Kageyama’s sock, getting off the floor and sending a dirty glare toward Kageyama. Kageyama sends back an equally dirty glare.

Damn. This is what Hinata gets for trying to help Kageyama stretch.

-

Hinata notices the scar under Kageyama’s eye during one of their water breaks. He reaches up to touch it with one of his fingers, but Kageyama gives him a weird look, so he puts his hand back down and ignores the feeling in his stomach. “Never seen that one before,” Hinata says, searching for any dignity he has left.

“Then what about this one?” Kageyama asks, using his index finger to trace over the scar under Hinata’s ear. Hinata feels a shiver go through his body.

Hinata doesn’t want to say he got it when he was four by jumping off a six-foot ledge, so he neglects to answer. Instead, he takes another sip of water. “I guess it’s part of the mystery, huh?” he says instead of an answer. Kageyama’s eyes glint dangerously, and Hinata has to look away.

“Hinata, Kageyama,” Noya yells, coming over to slap the both of them on the back. “Today’s quick set was intense! You guys have been acting insane lately, what’s in the water you are drinking? Can I have some?!”

Hinata embraces the distraction Noya gives them. Hinata doesn’t know what he would do a minute longer under Kageyama’s gaze.

-

Kageyama cards his fingers through Hinata’s hair, patting it down. “What the hell, Yama,” Hinata grumbles, shoving Kageyama’s hand away. Kageyama reaches toward Hinata again, and pats it down some more. “It’s not going to work!”

Kageyama gives Hinata a dirty look and shoves his fingers through his hair again. “You can’t be going out in public looking like a dirty raccoon.”

Hinata grumbles and grabs Kageyama’s fingers, holding them in place next to his chest. “I’ve never seen an orange raccoon.”

“You’d be the first,” Kageyama says, ignoring the flush feeling in his fingertips. “Why does your hair look like this every day? Do you not try to style it at  _ all?” _

Hinata lets go of Kageyama’s fingers and looks away. “What, is it ugly?”

“Not ugly,” Kageyama clarifies. Hinata pouts. “Just distracting.”

“Distracting,” Hinata echoes, patting his hair down with his hands. Coming from Kageyama, that’s the closest Hinata will ever get to a compliment without forcing it out. Hinata looks out on the foyer where everyone from Karasuno is milling around. He wonders what they think of Kageyama and Hinata’s relationship. He wonders what their relationship even  _ is. _

“I’m glad you stand out,” Kageyama says, filling up their silence with words. “It’s easier to find you in a crowd.” Hinata huffs but doesn’t respond. He knows that Kageyama is trying to get a rise out of him, so he doesn’t relent. Kageyama doesn’t seem too pleased about his unsuccessful attempt.

Hinata thinks about the practice match with Seijoh the next day. Without Oikawa or any of the prior third years, they’re not as strong as they used to be. Hinata counts the number of flower petals that fall to the floor near his feet. Four so far. He wonders if anyone at Seijoh will remark anything about Kageyama and Hinata’s relationship. He knows they’ve been… kind of weird. Tanaka has said something about it, and when Tanaka says something—Tanaka, well, isn’t the most observant. So, that must mean something.

The silence around them is oppressive and Hinata tries to distract himself by counting various things. In his vision, there are at least six trees, thirty students, and four benches. Kageyama, then, speaks up. “I’m going away in a few days.”

Hinata turns to look at him, surprised. “ _ Forever?”  _ Hinata cries.

“What?” Kageyama asks, confused. “No! Only for a few days, boke! My grandma is in the hospital, so we have to visit her.”

Hinata bites his lip. Both of his grandparents died before he was born, so he can’t really relate. “You make it sound like it’s a chore.”

“It is.”

Hinata gawks and hits Kageyama upside the head. “You can’t be saying that about your family, especially your grandparents! You need to respect them.”

Kageyama laughs with a huff, and looks at Hinata. His eyes are as blue as the sky, and Hinata isn’t quite sure what to do with that observation. “What do you know about respect?”

Hinata guffaws and tries to hit Kageyama again. Kageyama deflects Hinata this time, expecting the physical abuse. “More than you, it seems.”

Something between a smile and a grimace enters Kageyama’s face. “Grandma is an asshole. I don’t need to respect assholes.” Hinata kind of agrees in that respect, but he doesn’t want to voice his opinion, so he decides to leave at that. Judging by the look on Kageyama’s face, he doesn’t want to talk about it.

-

Kageyama’s face appears in his vision and Hinata grimaces in discontent and pain. The look Kageyama is giving him is not a happy one. “Why are you playing like trash?” Kageyama asks, as blunt as ever. Hinata hears Tsukki laughing off to the right, but he pretends he doesn’t. Coach Ukai is telling everyone else to take a water break.

Hinata sits up from his place on the floor, rubbing his forehead. Great. Tanaka’s hits keep getting more powerful. It’s a good thing when he’s not on the  _ receiving  _ end of them. “Sorry,” he says to Kageyama, even though he isn’t sure why he’s apologizing at all.

Kageyama makes a strange face and places his hands on Hinata’s neck, touching the hot skin. Hinata yelps and tries to push his hands away, but Kageyama’s hands are steady. “You’re all hot,” Kageyama says finally, removing his hands from Hinata’s sensitive skin. Hinata tries to ignore the implications of that sentence.

“What?” Hinata grumbles, standing on his unsteady legs. He’s been studying all night for midterm finals coming up, and when Kageyama left, he distracted himself with training. Ennoshita gave him the gym keys so he could come in early and stay late.

“Are you sick?”

“What? No!” Hinata yelps, trying to aim a hit around Kageyama’s shoulder, but he misses by a good few inches. Damn. “Just tired.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why are you  _ tired,  _ stupid?”

“Why do you  _ care _ , stupid?”

Kageyama grumbles, and looks like he’s going to kick Hinata in the foot, but changes his decision last moment. He instead flicks Hinata on the head, right where Tanaka hit him in the head with a volleyball. Hinata grunts. “You can’t be playing your best if you’re tired. Stupid,” he tacks on at the end like an afterthought.

Hinata feels himself stumble on his feet, but Kageyama’s strong arms hold him up around his hips. Hinata tries not to think too hard about it, but he ends up thinking  _ really  _ hard about it. Dammit, dammit, Hinata thinks. His whole body is hot now. “I’ve been studying for midterms,” Hinata says, his voice coming out airy. He thinks of cold water. Cold water cold water. Fuck. “I’ve also been coming in early and staying late to practice. It’s not a big deal.”

Kageyama rolls his eyes hard enough that Hinata is pretty sure he sees the back of his head. “Not a big deal? What, are you stupid? Don’t answer that, I already know the answer.” Hinata goes to retort, but Kageyama continues without pause. “Don’t over exert yourself. You’re going to play like ass during our practice match against Nekoma, and we can’t be having that.”

Hinata grabs Kageyama’s hands and shoves them away. Too much skin on skin contact, Hinata might explode. “I can’t believe you’re the one talking sense into me. I think our minds have switched.”

“Don’t get too confused,” Kageyama says, walking away to grab his water bottle. Hinata ignores the look that the whole team is giving them. “We’re both stupid.”

-

Hinata is half in and half out of consciousness, his breathing even. He knows Kageyama is right next to him, though, speaking to Kenma. He can tell it’s Kageyama because of his weight, and the space he takes up, and the smell, and the… fuck, Hinata thinks.

“How did Shouyou fall asleep that quick?” Kenma asks, sitting down on the other side of Hinata. They’re supposed to be taking a thirty-minute break in between games, but Hinata took the opportunity to collapse on the floor and take a much-needed nap. The gym is lively and full of energy as first years bound around. “Thought he had endless energy.”

Hinata feels fingers through his hair. He knows they are Kageyama’s because Kageyama’s fingers are long and lithe and… he knows Kageyama’s fingers as well as his own. They are fingers that give him the best sets. His head is on his lap, too. Hinata is mildly surprised, in his sleep ridden state, that Kageyama hasn’t thrown his body across the gym.

“Catching up on missed sleep,” Kageyama answers, his voice a deep rumble that shakes Hinata to his core. “The idiot overexerted himself while I was gone. He needs some self-control, honestly.”

“Shouyou doesn’t know when to stop,” Kenma agrees. Hinata finally falls asleep, the perfect amount of dreamless sleep. And, anyway, he doesn’t need dreams to think about Kageyama. He does that anyway without any prompting.

-

The AC is broken in the gym. Yachi hides herself away in the girl’s locker room when everyone starts taking their shirts off. Hinata thinks she is being childish, but looking at the trickles of sweat run down Kageyama’s back makes Hinata think that maybe Yachi is right.

Kageyama seems all stiff when Hinata takes his shirt off. Hinata’s mind, though, is on overdrive so he doesn’t really seem to notice. Fuck. Anytime Kageyama reaches up to set Hinata his ball, his biceps flex. Hinata is losing all the air in his lungs.

His arms aren’t even the  _ worst  _ part. His fucking abs—Jesus Christ, his  _ abs _ . The drops of sweat are falling down his torso and catching in the creases of his abs. Fuck. Fuck. And the sheen of sweat that is illuminating his whole damn body… and anytime he reaches his hand to wipe the sweat off his eyebrows, his biceps ripple. It’s like he’s out of a goddamn magazine. Hinata has to look away before all of his blood accumulates in his eyes and they pop from the pressure.

Yachi comes back eventually, periodically hiding behind her Calculus book. Yamaguchi bugs her about it, but at least he’s nice about it. At one point, Kageyama gulps down his water like a hungry animal and Hinata has the  _ insane  _ urge to bite his adam's apple. At least Kageyama seems too out of it to notice anything.

If Hinata pretends not to pay attention to Kageyama, he sometimes catches Kageyama sneaking a quick peek at his ass. Fuck.

-

Hinata is picking chocolate out of his teeth when Yachi says, “I saw someone giving Kageyama a confession today.” Hinata pretends not to choke on his own breath, but Yachi has always been observant.

After composing himself, and getting the chocolate out of his teeth, Hinata says, “And why would I care?” It comes off kind of rude, and he never means to be rude to Yachi, so he tries again. “I mean—is there a reason you’re telling me this?”

Yachi ignores his question. “She’s pretty and tall—taller than you, I’m pretty sure. Long black hair. Yui, I think is her name?” Damn, Hinata thinks.  _ Yui,  _ out of all people, confessed to Kageyama? Hinata goes back to trying to get chocolate out of his teeth, even though there is none. “What do you think of that, Shou?”

Hinata hums under his breath and counts to five. Yachi is acting suspiciously smug. “I think nothing of it. Nothing at all. Good for Kageyama, I guess.” Judging by the hiccup in his words, Hinata is not at all convincing.

Yachi narrows her eyes and then smiles, all pretty and pearly and white. “Good for you, then.” She doesn’t elaborate on what she means but instead says, “There’s nothing in your teeth, Shou. Except for the bullshit you just said.”

Hinata guffaws and stares at Yachi, who is still smiling all innocent like. He’s never even  _ heard  _ her swear. “What was that, Yachi?” he asks, just to make sure he heard her correctly.

“Nothing at all,” she responds. “I lied about the Yui thing, by the way. No one asked Kageyama out.”

Hinata huffs and closes his eyes. “You played me like a damn fiddle, Hitoka.”

-

Kageyama has no manners. “Kageyama, you have no manners,” Hinata says to Kageyama, because he has no manners. It should be said that Kageyama has never had any manners, because he cares about no one but himself.

Kageyama is lying on Hinata’s couch, taking up the entirety of it. His legs are too long, so his feet hang off the arm. At least when Hinata lies down, there’s enough room for someone to sit! Kageyama is selfish and doesn’t care about Hinata.

“Am not,” Kageyama says petulantly, stretching his arms above his head. His shirt rides above his belly button and Hinata looks away slow enough that Kageyama gets suspicious. Whatever, he doesn’t comment on it.

“I invited you over to my house so we could watch Harry Potter, not so you could take over the couch like a hog!”

Kageyama smirks at him, his lips quirking. Hinata thinks back to when Yachi lied about Kageyama’s confession and wonders how long she has known. “Ah,” Kageyama sighs, stretching his toes, “I love all of this room you’ve provided me. So sweet.”

Hinata squeaks in indignation and, against his better judgement, sits down on Kageyama’s lap. Kageyama makes a surprised huff and Hinata ignores the beat of his heart escaping his ribcage. “I guess there is enough room for the both of us,” Hinata says, his cheeks flushing with a mix of apprehension and embarrassment.

Kageyama neglects to respond. Hinata looks over at his face and notices he is impossibly pink, his mouth caught open like a frog.

Ah, Hinata thinks. Fuck.

-

Kageyama’s touches burn. Anytime he reaches his fingers to clasp his hands or uses his palm to guide Hinata into a better blocking position, his touch burns like lava. Kageyama normally runs cool, his fingers as cold as ice and his body temperature opposite of the energy he exerts. But whenever Hinata feels his touch, it feels like a thousand suns lighting up the skin on his arm.

It shouldn’t be as jarring as it is, but it is. Hinata should have gotten used to it by now, after two years of his touch. He has to force himself not to gasp whenever Kageyama lies a finger on him, especially when Yachi is around. Yachi is keen on finding Hinata and Kageyama in embarrassing situations and taking pictures, then showing it to the whole team.

Yachi’s favorite picture is saved in multiple folders and sent to several mysterious emails so it is never lost.

It starts like this: Hinata is cleaning the gym alone because he lost a bet to Kageyama. The bet itself isn’t important, but it had to do with shoving an unspecified amount of curry buns in one’s mouth. Hinata, despite his bottomless stomach, lost after the seventh. Kageyama didn’t have to, but he went until twelve. He earned 1,000 ¥ courtesy of the team pitching in, but he wouldn’t eat for three days after that.

Hinata doesn’t mind cleaning the gym by himself. It gives him time to exert his extra energy before he has to go home so he won’t be twitchy all night. His mom has made several complaints about him pacing around his room like a cat before he goes to sleep—and the mountain ride back home does hardly enough to assuage him. And, anyway, cleaning the gym by himself is a good distraction away from Kageyama’s wandering fingers. He’s been awfully touchy lately and it’s getting to Hinata’s head.

Most of the boys have gone home by now. He knows Ennoshita and Tanaka are discussing the practice match the next day with coach Ukai, Yachi is doing something manager-y, and Kageyama is probably being dumb somewhere around the school.

“Keep it up, Shou!” Noya snickers, doing a cartwheel out of the locker room door. If anyone needs to expel extra energy, it’s  _ Noya.  _ Sometimes, his energy scares Hinata himself. It’s getting darker and cooler lately as winter and Christmas—and Kageyama’s 17th birthday—approaches like a train. Hinata still hasn’t studied for his semester finals.

Kageyama enters the gym through the outside doors, holding a curry bun. Hinata gags on his spit even thinking about curry buns, but Kageyama seems to have no restraint when it comes to things he loves, so downing twelve curry buns in a period of forty-five minutes won’t calm his intensity in the slightest. “Shou,” Kageyama says, and Hinata tries to stop his eye from twitching from the casual way Kageyama says his  _ given  _ name instead of his family name. Fuck. “D’you want one?” Ah, he’s holding two curry buns.

“Nah,” Hinata replies, turning around so he doesn’t have to look at sweaty Kageyama. He’s gross and needs to take a shower. And it’s kind of exhilarating and it makes Hinata hot in the face. “I think I’m still shitting out curry buns from three days ago.”

“Weak,” Kageyama responds, but Hinata doesn’t rise to the bait. Seven seems to be his limit, and, anyway—talking to Kageyama suddenly feels exhausting. Volleyball, cleaning the gym, and a mountain ride back home can’t tire him out, but Kageyama can do it in seconds. Instead of leaving, like Hinata expects him to do, Kageyama sits off in the corner. Eating his curry bun. Drinking his milk. Watching Hinata clean. Not even offering help.

Hinata voices this, easily distraught. “Hey, bozo! Don’t just sit there and watch! Come and help me!”

“Nah,” Kageyama responds, a cheeky smile on his face. A piece of rice is stuck between his two front teeth. “You lost the bet. And, anyway,” he sounds smug, “I like the view.”

Hinaga guffaws, lost for words. Kageyama has  _ never  _ outright said anything to that magnitude—he has never outright  _ flirted  _ with Hinata, despite the weird energy they exude together. Hinata always has too many words to say, and Kageyama has plainly stolen them. Hinata sputters for a moment, but ends up glaring at the floor angrily, mopping up dirt and sweat.

Kageyama tsks, sounding creepily like Tsukki. Hinata banishes the image from his head. “Nothing to say?”

“Nothing at all,” Hinata responds, spending time on a black mark on the gym floor. It goes away after a few moments, but he takes care to make sure it’s  _ really  _ gone. Not a distraction at all. Hinata dares to look up and he sees Kageyama, smugly grinning, glistening with sweat, a piece of rice still stuck in between his two front teeth. “I wish you wouldn’t do that,” Hinata mumbles, glad that everyone left long ago. He didn’t see Yachi leave, though. But she probably left a while ago.

“Do what?” Kageyama asks, and judging by the look on his face, he knows damn well what he’s doing.

Things are… weird between them, for a lack of a better term. Intense, maybe. They’re not entirely platonic, but they’re not entirely romantic. It’s a weird middle ground between them—they’ve never  _ done  _ anything, but they’ve been close. And they  _ know  _ there is something odd about them, something that goes beyond a simple friendship, or even their volleyball partnership. They don’t even know how to broach the subject without making a mess of themselves. Which is why the way Kageyama is acting is infuriating—he’s obviously trying to rile Hinata up without outright saying anything too ostentatious. In the end, they’re both cowards. Maybe they’ll tiptoe around it for the rest of their lives.

Kageyama finishes off his curry bun and carefully eyes the second one, but decides for his better health to leave it alone. He stretches, purposefully so, and Hinata gets a glimmer of his navel. His skin is tanner than normal, which doesn’t make  _ sense  _ because it’s winter.

“Don’t you have to be somewhere?” Hinata asks, his tone biting.

Kageyama contemplates the question for a moment, but ultimately decides on a succinct, “No.”

“Hmmm,” Hinata says, moving onto the next black skid mark. There are way too many skid marks to be considered normal. Whatever, Hinata thinks. It’s a good distraction.

Once Hinata finishes, he decides to sit next to Kageyama and eat the curry bun anyway. It’s damn good, so seven curry buns can’t dissuade Hinata. “Thanks for all the help,” Hinata mumbles between bites. A piece of rice sticks to the corner of his lips.

“I’ll help next time,” Kageyama says. The tone of his voice changes slightly, so Hinata looks up and his stomach does a triple flip. Kageyama’s stare is… intense. He uses his thumb to swipe the rice off the corner of Hinata’s lips and licks it off.

What the fuck, Hinata thinks. That shouldn’t have been… as  _ hot  _ as it was. That’s when Hinata registers the distinct click of a phone camera. Both Hinata and Kageyama turn their heads like a deer in headlights and there stands Yachi, phone out, squeaking and running away.

At night, while Hinata is trying to upend his nerves, he gets a text.

**HITOKAAAAAAA <3 [sent 21:57]: ** [attachment] <3

And there he is. Gawking at Kageyama like a fish with a blush as red as a thousand suns while Kageyama sticks the piece of rice in his mouth. Unbelievable.

**shou :3 [sent 21:58]:** delete this right now!!!!!!!!!

**HITOKAAAAAAA <3 [sent 22:00]: ** whaaaaa!!!! why???!

**shou :3 [sent 22:00]:** u know why!!!!!! ahhhhh!!! that’s so embarrassing!!!

**HITOKAAAAAAA <3 [sent 22:02]: ** i’ve already sent it to daichi and suga! :*

**shou :3 [sent 22:05]:** literally wtf.

**HITOKAAAAAAA <3 [sent 22:06]: ** i love u shou! and it seems like i’m not the only, at least according to this pic ;)

-

Hinata isn’t quite sure where Noya got the alcohol, but he doesn’t really want to ask. And, besides, the alcohol has loosened his limbs enough where he doesn’t care.

“Happy birthday Kageyama!!!!” Tanaka yells somewhere off to the right of Hinata. All the third and second years are stuffed in Tanaka’s room celebrating Kageyama’s 17th. The first years weren’t invited for a variety of reasons—the main being that Noya insists they are babies and aren’t allowed to touch alcohol. Noya almost hadn’t invited  _ Kageyama  _ himself for that very reason.

Kageyama is on his phone in the corner, ignoring everyone. Hinata is annoyed by this, because  _ hell,  _ this is Kageyama’s party and he’s not even appreciative! Well, it didn’t take much work on his part—Noya and Tanaka did most of the legwork. But—Hinata got Kageyama a curry bun poster, so that should top everyone else.

“Kagggggeeeeeyaaaaaaaaaama,” Hinata grumbles, shoving his way through sweaty teenage boys flushed with alcohol. Yachi is taking a nap on Tanaka’s bed, wrapped up in at least three blankets courtesy of Yamaguchi. Heh, Hinata thinks. What a lightweight. Kageyama is not drunk quite yet, but he is reasonably inebriated. Hinata is toeing the line between drunk and tipsy, and the line is blurring. Just like Kageyama’s face. “What a killjoy,” Hinata says, sticking out his tongue. “Yer not even enjoying yer own party.”

“Why are you talking like that,” Kageyama deadpans, ignoring Hinata’s previous remarks.

“Why’re so  _ rude?”  _ Hinata slurs, plopping his body next to Kageyama’s. Ah, Hinata thinks, I’m definitely drunk. Kageyama carefully grasps the cup from Hinata’s hand and it puts it out of reach. “Rude,” Hinata says, but it doesn’t bite.

“I’m not rude,” Kageyama responds, using his fingers to card through Hinata’s messy hair. “Overwhelmed, that’s all.”

“Hrmf,” Hinata says, but drops the subject. It makes sense that Kageyama is overwhelmed, his social battery drains by nine. “I’m glad Yachi is asleep.”

“Me too,” Kageyama says, patting Hinata’s hair down some more. “Who knows what would end up on her phone.” Hinata chuckles in agreement and tries to find the cup Kageyama rudely stole, but it’s nowhere to be found. So, instead, Hinata scooches impossibly close.

Hinata’s self-control all but disappears when he consumes alcohol. Kageyama is also strangely unreserved—maybe it has something to do with being 17, or maybe it has to do with the alcohol. Maybe a bit of both.

“Why’re you so close?” Kageyama whispers, but he doesn’t move away. No one is looking. The boys seem preoccupied stacking crackers on Yachi’s face until she wakes up.

“You seemed lonely.”

“So you need to occupy all of my space?”

“Yes,” Hinata responds bluntly. “I like the way you smell.”

Kageyama looks away, but it does nothing to stop the bright red flush creeping up his neck. Maybe that’s the alcohol, too. “Do you ever think about what you say?”

“Never.”

“Hmmm,” Kageyama says. He’s smiling, Hinata can’t see it, but he can tell by the tone of his voice. He’s happy, is what he is. Hinata loves it when Kageyama is happy.

Hinata voices this. “I love it when you’re happy.”

“Fuckin’ hell, Shou,” Kageyama grumbles, his cheeks as red as a cherry. “You really have no filter, huh?”

“None at all,” Hinata answers, and then grabs Kageyama’s neck and plants a kiss at the corner of his mouth. Hinata doesn’t think too much of his actions, and says, “Huh. I missed.”

Kageyama is trembling under Hinata’s fingers, his body vibrating enough where Hinata begins to tremble as well. Luckily, the boys are still trying to stack crackers on Yachi’s face—that’s the sixteenth so far—so they are generally undisturbed. “What do you think you’re doing?” Kageyama asks, touching Hinata’s hot hand on his neck.

“Kissing you,” Hinata quips, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world. Maybe it is. Maybe they should try again to see if it is. “Can’t decide if I like it or not.”

“Why’s that?”

“Need more practice,” he responds, licking his lips. Hinata is red all over, flushed from his collarbone to the tips of his hair. It doesn’t help that they’re all cramped in Tanaka’s room, a bunch of sweaty and drunk teenage boys, and one tired teenage girl with sixteen—scratch that, seventeen—crackers stacked on her forehead.

“Aye!!” Noya yells, and Yamaguchi kicks him in the ass because he might wake Yachi up. “One cracker for every year that Kageyama has been alive!” The boys go out into raucous applause, startling Yachi up from her dazed slumber and making the crackers crumble to the floor.

Kageyama scoots away from Hinata and Hinata’s hand drops. Hinata doesn’t say anything to fill the awkward air between them, so Kageyama elects to speak. “Come to my house tomorrow at eight P.M. My parents will be gone.” And he leaves it at that.

Ah.

-

Hinata forgets everything about the previous night except that he kissed Kageyama and that he needs to be at Kageyama’s house at eight. It’s Christmas Eve-Eve, and Hinata is supposed to be helping his family make cookies and watch shitty Hallmark movies, but _ —but. _

Hinata checks his phone. 8:01. He should probably knock soon or Kageyama will think he’s a flake. Maybe he should flake.

Hinata knocks anyway, his stomach rolling. Kageyama is making Hinata intensely erratic, his very existence gives Hinata a headache. And something else down south that he prefers not to address.

Kageyama opens the door not a minute later, looking flushed and nervous. His hair is wet and his face moist, evidence that he had just gotten out of the shower. Hinata chokes on his own spit, the action does not go unnoticed by Kageyama. Kageyama invites Hinata in, and Hinata elects to sit on his couch so he doesn’t have to face Kageyama directly.

Hinata has done practically nothing all day—he went on a jog to clear his mind, but he thought of Kageyama the whole time anyway. He helped his mom prepare dinner, but she said he was too distracted to work and kept overcooking the rice, so that was a no go. He even spent time with Natsu coloring pictures from an old coloring book, but that did little to distract. In the end, Kageyama was the only thing on his mind.

“Where are your parents?” Hinata asks, trying to fill up the silence.

“Date night,” Kageyama responds, shutting the door behind him and sitting down next to Hinata. “Shou,” Kageyama says.

Hinata bites his lip, still not used to the fact that Kageyama thinks it’s a good idea to call him any version of Shouyou. “What?”

“Why’d you kiss me last night?”

Ah, Hinata thinks, there it is. “Uhh…” Hinata stumbles, looking for the answer to Kageyama’s question in the palm of his hand. Nothing. “Umm…”

“Hinata,” Kageyama says. “Did you mean it?”

“Er…” Hinata stutters, hoping the words he needs to say will come. Unfortunately, god is not on his side. “Mean… mean what?”

“Did you mean to kiss me?” Kageyama clarifies.

Hinata finally musters up the courage to look at Kageyama in the eyes. “Why wouldn’t I mean to?” He was drunk last night, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t coherent enough to not know what he was doing. Sure, the alcohol gave him the courage he needed, but—still. Who would kiss someone they didn’t like? Especially if that person is  _ Kageyama. _

“Good,” Kageyama says, and then grabs Hinata by the neck and kisses him again.

Hinata isn’t quite sure what he was expecting when he showed up at Kageyama’s house. He was too distracted by Kageyama himself the majority of the day, and what it felt like to kiss him for the split second he had. Hinata is a little envious of drunk-Hinata and the unnatural courage he has, but Kageyama amends that.

Kageyama’s lips are warm and wet, and Hinata thinks it’s kind of gross but at the same time, kind of… the opposite of gross. His mind doesn’t supply him with the proper word, but he doesn’t care. The only thing he can think about is Kageyama’s lips on his own.

Hinata pulls Kageyama’s body down closer to him, and in the process, falls on the couch. Their pace doesn’t break, and Kageyama finds it easy to hover his body over Hinata’s and kiss him again and again. His hands cage Hinata in, and Hinata feels trapped but, then again… the opposite of trapped. His muddled mind is doing him no favors.

How long have they been dancing around their feelings? It feels like years in Hinata’s mind, but Hinata knows he’s being dramatic. He could kiss Kageyama for hours on end. It doesn’t help that Kageyama is a good kisser, or, at the very least, knows what he’s doing.

“You’re so bad at kissing,” Kageyama says in between kisses, and Hinata kicks him in the shin where Kageyama is still hovering over him.

“Shut yer mouth, dumbass. You’re the worst kisser I’ve ever kissed.” He’s also the only person Hinata has ever kissed, so it’s not entirely incorrect. Hinata skates his fingers up Kageyama’s biceps, further up to his shoulder blades, and settles them around Kageyama’s neck. Hinata pulls him closer and wraps his feet around his waist. Kageyama is making a weird smacking noise with his mouth, but Hinata likes it in a weird kind of way. Hinata likes everything about Kageyama in a weird kind of way.

They kiss long enough where Hinata’s mom texts him asking him where the hell he is. “Eh?!” Hinata cries, picking up his phone. Of course his mom had to cockblock the best night of his life, arguably. Hinata ignores the text and kisses Kageyama for a few more minutes, lapping up his kisses like honey. He gets distracted long enough where his mom has the gall to call him.

In the end, Hinata trudges home on his bike. Kageyama manages to sneak in a few kisses before he goes, however. Hinata rides home on his bike, feeling flushed, happy, and confused. They were too busy kissing to have time to talk about their feelings toward one another. Hinata doesn’t stress about it too much, it seems like they’re on the same boat concerning the majority of things.

After Hinata takes a shower and brushes his teeth, he gets a text.

**bakageyama [23:19]: 9 am tomorrow**

**Hinata Shouyou [23:24]: wtf kageyama??**

**bakageyama [23:25]: be there or be square boy**

**Hinata Shouyou [23:25]: ehhhhh?!! i’ll be there!!**

Christmas Eve isn’t so bad. Same with Christmas day, and the day after, and the day after that, and the day after that, and the day after that, and the day—

Hinata blushes. He thinks he likes the way his relationship with Kageyama is going.


End file.
